Cozy Bedroom Decor Ideas

Sweet Dreams

At the start or the end of a hectic day, little compares to the solace of a cozy bedroom. That's why Atlanta-based decorator Phoebe Howard (known to her devoted fans across the South simply as "Mrs. Howard") always asks, "How can I make the most luxurious, comfortable, restful place  like the best hotel room you've ever been in, times 10?"

The dream-inducing rooms seen here  from Howard's first book, The Joy of Decorating  all share a few calling cards: soothing palettes, layers of pattern and texture, noteworthy beds, and carpeting underfoot. Howard is also a big fan of small seating areas  like a bench at the foot of the bed or even a lone chair. "All those pillows from the bed have to go somewhere when you turn in at night!" she says.

Howard, who is self-taught (and who calls herself "the accidental decorator"), says she builds bedrooms around the woman of the house, explaining, "If she's happy, everyone is happy." To that end, she advocates multiple sources of soft lighting, ample use of fabrics (canopies, quilts, and comforters folded at the foot of the bed are some of her go-to elements), dainty night tables, and a TV tucked well out of the way.

Her oft-repeated mantra: Keep it pretty. "Don't be afraid of that word!" says Howard. "I like things to be pleasing to the eye, not overdone or overthought."

The fastest way to achieve that bit of beauty, she adds, is to "get the right color up on the walls  whatever speaks to you is the way you should go." Howard's personal favorite is the soothing, barely-there shade of blue-gray shown on the next slide.

Then, remember not to clutter it up too much. "In a bedroom, you're looking for peace and quiet," says Howard. "Every morning, I want to open my eyes and love what I see."

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